Here are some of the most common dental procedures that may require dental sedation.
To this day, despite all the medical technology designed to make treatments less invasive, fear of the dentist remains among many people. Whether it’s a traumatic experience from childhood or an unrealistic and exaggerated portrayal of dentists in our culture, many people are fearful about going to the dentist.
I want to thank everyone at the Dental Anesthesia Center for taking care of me yesterday—Meaghan helped me get the forms filled out correctly and in on time, Daisy for guiding me in and getting me out safely, Dr. Hoffman for taking care of my teeth and dealing with my really terrible gag reflex, and EVERYONE who helps make this happen. I don't know all of your names, but I do know that it takes all of you working together to make my dental care possible and have good results.
I'm always nervous when I first arrive, even though every procedure has had a good outcome. I've never had any pain or excessive bleeding as a result. The one thing I realized yesterday is that all of you are warm, friendly, positive, you have what is called a good vibe, which helps me a great deal.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience. We’re so glad our team could help you feel comfortable and supported throughout your visit. Providing a safe, positive environment is very important to us, and your feedback means a great deal. We truly appreciate your trust in our care!
Dr. Thoms and his entire staff at The Dental Anesthesia Center have been absolutely wonderful!! They're all so kind and knowledgeable. I would give them 10 stars if I could!!!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind words! We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. It means a lot to hear this feedback.
Dr Mike Hoffman is the best dentist I’ve ever been to. His whole practice focuses on the patient’s needs. He is the consumate professional with expertise across the dental spectrum and in anesthesia. I highly recommend him and his practice.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your thoughtful review and recommendation! We’re grateful for your kind words and are proud to provide patient-centered care with a focus on comfort and safety.
Yes, my grandson has nonverbal autism and they took very good care of him.. He had to have some extra extractions which I was concerned about, but everything went very well. Very happy and I thank you all for all the work you did.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words. We’re so glad to hear you had a positive experience and that everything went smoothly. We truly appreciate your trust in us.
I took my son to an appointment today with Dr. Hoffman. We had a great experience from the time we arrived until we departed. The receptionist was very friendly and helpful. The dental assistants were very helpful and polite with my son. The doctor is very kind and patient. They explain everything as we went through the process. We were aware of the cost from the beginning to the end and we're allowed to make decisions about how to handle my child's care and not shocked with additional charges after the fact. My child does not resist going to this office. Great experience.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad to hear your experience was positive from start to finish. Our team works hard to create a comfortable, transparent, and supportive environment for every patient and family. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback!
As irrational as it may be at times, fear of the dentist can have many consequences on your oral health. Not going for your regular checkups might cause simple problems, such as plaque to take a turn for the worst, which may require complex and extensive procedures. It’s a vicious circle: you avoid seeing the dentist because you are afraid, but this exacerbated fear might be the thing that could affect your oral health and require multiple visits.
Sedating patients before procedures that involve pain or strange sensations could be a solution.
How Does Sedation Work?
Your St. Louis sedation dentist will use a drug or mix of drugs that allow you to remain conscious during the procedures but keeps you relaxed and calm so that you won’t get overwhelmed by stress and fear and interrupt the treatment. That allows the dental practitioner to treat you properly, even when it requires invasive procedures that take a lot of time to perform.
Make sure to talk with yoursedation dentist and decide which anesthetic is best suited for your treatment and medical history.
Procedures That Generally Require Sedation
While sedation dentistry can make any fearful patient’s visit to the dentist better, it is generally recommended for invasive treatments. Procedures that take a long time and require the patient to be still are significantly shortened with the help of an anesthetic.
Here are some of the most common dental procedures that may require dental sedation.
Wisdom Tooth Removal
Because they erupt later in life and are often pushed in strange positions by the other teeth, wisdom teeth often need to be extracted. The removal can be quite difficult, especially when dealing with a “hidden” wisdom tooth, so the dentist might suggest sedation for a less traumatic treatment session.
Dental Implants
Losing your teeth can be a hard thing to cope with, whether it happens over a long time or is caused by an injury. Sedation can help a lot during the dental implant procedure, making it seem shorter and relaxing than it is.
Jaw Surgery
While it is definitely not a routine procedure, jaw surgery might be needed in some instances to treat various conditions, such as sleep apnea or a congenital jaw misalignment. Because it takes a long time to perform, it’s best to be done with sedation.
Bone Grafting
If your dentures don’t fit well enough, it will feel very uncomfortable or painful. Often, bone grafting is needed to align the dentures, and sedation greatly improves the comfort of the patient.
Emergency Dental Treatment
You are most likely still under shock or in a great amount of pain when receiving emergency dental treatment. Sedating will help you remain calm and still during the treatment.
As you can see, there are quite a few situations that may require sedation. It will help the dentist do his work uninterrupted, while the patient feels so relaxed that he often falls asleep during the treatment. Give us a call today at (314) 862-7844 and see if sedation dentistry is right for you!
